Tablet dispenser



Jan. 27, 1948. H. v. DWYER 2,434,993

TABLETv DISPENSER Filed May 1, 194'? IN V EN TOR.

#420429 1./ wyE/e g ,4 rom/EyI Patented Jan. 27, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TABLET DISPENSER Harold V. Dwyer, Detroit, Mich.

Application May 1, 1947, Serial No. 745,219

(Cl. S12-47) 2 Claims. 1

'I'his invention relates to dispensers and in particular to dispensers for use with deliquescent tablets and the like.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a dispenser in which tablets may be stored and dispensed under sanitary conditions, which dispenses tablets without being handled, which shows constantly the number of tablets stored therein, and which maintains the storage compartment thereof hermetically sealed whereby to permit the storage and dispensing of deliquescent tablets without absorption of moisture or dete rioration.

Another object of the invention is to provide a convenient, sanitary and hermetically sealed dispenser for use in hospitals, inrmaries, doctors ofces and like places where airborne germs are apt to contaminate tablets used fo;` medication or when the nature of the tablet requires that they should not be handled manually or be subjected to atmospheric moisture during storage.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a tablet dispenser embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the tablet dispenser taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 showing a tablet being dispensed therefrom and with the dispensing mechanism in its dispensed" position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view similar to Fig. 4 except thai-the dispensing mechanism is shown in its retracted position to which it is first moved when it is desired to dispense a tablet from the tablet dispenser.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like numerals refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, the particular dispenser disclosed for the purpose of illustrating the invention is preferably constructed of a clear plastic such as Lucite with a clear glass tablet reservoir and nickel plated metal parts comprises, in general, a back I0, a shelf II extending forwardly from the said back I0 near the bottom thereof, a tablet reservoir I2 supported on the said shelf Il anchored thereon and simultaneously held in vertical spaced relationship to the back I0 by means of a two part bracket I3 clamped around the said tablet reservoir I2 and secured to the said back I0 near the top thereof by a pair of studs I4, a rectangular slide I5 reciprocatingly mounted in a rectangular slot I6 formed transversely through the said shelf II parallel to the said back IU, the said shelf II having an aperture I'I through the upper portion IIU thereof communicating between the said reservoir I2 and the slot I6 therethrough and an apture I8 through the lower portion H00 thereof communicating with the said slot I6 therethrough laterally spaced from the said aperture I'I a distance greater than the diameter of the said aperture I'I, which apertureY I8 serves as a chute through the bottom of the said shelf II through which tablets I9 drop indicated by the arrow 29 in Fig. 4, and an aperture 2| in the said slide I5 located to receive a tablet I9 from the reservoir I2 when the said slide I5 is in itsl retracted positionV as indicated in Fig. 5 whereby to permit the slide I5 to carry a tabl-et I9 to the chute I8 in which dispensed position of the vsaid slide I5 a tablet I9 drops through the chute I8, spring means adapted to maintain the slide I5 in hermetically sealed relationship under th'e aperture I'I when the said slide I5 is in its dispensed position as indicated in Fig. 4, and means for limiting the movement of the said slide I5 in one direction to its dispensed position and in the other direction to itsretracted position.

The tablet reservoir I2 preferably iits tightly into a counterbore I'IU above the aperture I1 as shownl in Figs. 4 and 5 and is heldin such position by the two part bracket I3 as hereinbefore described; The shelf II is preferably constructed of an upper portion III) and ar lower portion I Iliil which are secured together by means of suitable studs 22, the said shelf II being secured to the back I0 by suitable studs 23. The upper portion I I9 of the shelf I I is formed channel shaped before assembly whereby to provide the rectangular slot I6 through the said shelf II when the upper and lower portions I'II) and IIIJD respectively thereof are assembled. The slide I5 is preferably upturned at one end as indicated by the numeral |59 to provide a convenient operating handle therefor.

The upper side of the lower portion IIOI) of the shelf I I is preferably provided with a pair of rectangular wells 24 and 25 which accommodate laterally disposed V-shaped springs 26 and 21 secured to the said lower portion II9IJ of the said shelf II by suitable studs 28 and 29 threaded to the lower side Vof the said springs Z6 and 21. The spring 21 has an aperture 210 therethrough through which the upper unthreaded portion 3U of the said stud 29 extends and serves as a stop which ts into a longitudinal slot 3i provided in the slide I5, which slot 3l is of the proper length to permit the movement of the said slide I from its dispensed position shown in Fig. 4 to its retracted position shown in Fig. 5 and back to its dispensed position shown in Fig. 4, which movement of the said slide I5 accomplishes the dispensing of one tablet IS from the reservoir I2. The springs 26 and 2l are wider than the longitudinal slot 3I provided in the slide I5 whereby to permit the upper side of the said springs 26 and 2l to contact the slide I5 and constantly urge it against the upper portion Il!) of the shelf II and hermetically close the aperture I'I communicating with the reservoir I2 when the said slide I5 is in its dispensed position.

The back I0 is preferably provided'with bayonet type apertures 32 near the top and bottomy thereof which cooperate with suitable headed 'screws not shown, screwed partly into a wall, cabinet or other structure onto which the dispenser may be mounted. A cork 33 or other suitable sealing means is provided at the top of the tablet reservoir I2. Tablets to be stored and dispensed by dispensers embodying the invention may be packaged in sealed rolls or tubes and readily transferred into the reservoir I2, thus tablets which are highly delquescent or which are harmful to the skin of a person handling them or which need to be kept from airborne germs can be stored and dispensed in the dispenser Without damage or contamination to the tablets and dispensed Without harm to the skin on the hands of the person dispensing the same.

Although but a single embodiment of the in vention has been disclosed and described in detaiLit is obvious that many changes may be made in the size, shape, arrangement and detail of the various elements of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A dispenser for tablets comprising a back adapted to be removably secured to a wall, a shelf extending forwardly from said back having a slot transversely therethrough, a tubular tablet reservoir mounted on the said shelf and fixed in hermetically sealed vertical relationship thereto, the said shelf having an aperture through the upper portion thereof communicating between the said tablet reservoir and th'e said slot and an aperture serving as a tablet chute through the lower portion thereof spaced along the said slot with respect to the said aperture through the upper portion of the said shelf, and a slide in the said slot having an aperture therethrough adapted to be reciprocated from a dispensed position to a retracted position and back to the dispensed position in the said slot whereby to receive a tablet from the said tablet reservoir and transport the same to the said chute, a pair of springs fixed in the lower portion of the said shelf adapted to urge the said slide against the upper portion of the said shelf whereby to hermetically seal the said aperture communicating between the said tablet reservoir and the said slot when the said slide is in a dispensed position, and means for limiting the movement of the said slide between its dispensed" position and its retracted position.

2. A dispenser for tablets comprising a back adapted to be removably secured to a wall, a shelf extending forwardly from said back having a slot transversely therethrough, a tubular tablet reservoir mounted on the said shelf and fixed in hermetically sealed vertical relationship thereto, the said shelf having an aperture through the upper portion thereof communicating between the said tablet reservoir and the said slot and an aperture serving 'as a tablet chute through the lower portion thereof spaced along the said slot with respect to the said aperture through the upper portion of the said shelf, and a slide in the said slot having an aperture therethrough adapted to be reciprocated from a dispensed position to a retracted position and back to the dispensed position in the said slot whereby to receive a tablet from the said tablet reservoir and transport the same to the said chute, a pair of springs fixed in the lower portion of the said shelf adapted to urge the said slide against the upper portion of the said shelf whereby to hermetically seal the said aperture communicating between the said tablet reservoir and the said slot when Vthe said'slide is in a dispensed position, one of the said springs being in contact with the said slide at all times and the other spring engaging the said slide only when the slide is in its dispensed position, and means for limiting the movement of the said slide be- .tween its dispensed position and its retracted position. v HAROLD V. DWYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,305,424 Wax June 3, 1919 1,605,832 Garhart Nov. 2, 1926 1,938,815 DuGrenier Dec. l2, 1933 2,100,860 Lobley Nov. 30, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 347,816 Great Britain i 1931 749,371 France 1933 

